Object Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Flat Oval Sleeve Iron, c. late 1880s |
Object Name |
Iron |
Description |
Flat Oval Sleeve Iron, c. late 1880s. Small oval-shaped iron with elongated offset handle with wood grip. Iron head is 3.5" long and .5" thick, with a tapered upper rim and a decoration stamped onto the top. The decoration depicts a beehive in the center where the handle joins the iron, surrounded by a squared border and floral designs on either side. The handle is a long thin rod, running parallel to the length of the iron. It is attached at a single point in the center of the iron and has a right-angle bend about 1" up, then a further 30 degree angle another 2" along the length, creating a handle that provides even pressure and good control on the iron. The metal part of the handle feeds into a wooden grip portion, which is cylindrical and rounded on the end, with a small lip at the front. The wood is a medium-dark brown. String is wrapped around the metal handle where it joins the wood to make a tight fit. |
Date |
c. late 1880s |
Creator |
Unknown |
Role |
Manufacturer |
Catalog Number |
2019.088.002 |
Dimensions |
H-2.25 W-13 D-2 inches |
Collection |
3D - Maintenance Tools & Equipment |
Inscription Text |
None. |
Provenance |
Used at Ching Lee Laundrey in San Mateo. |
Notes |
"Ching Lee Laundry, the oldest Chinese-owned laundry in the United States, closed its doors Saturday after 140 years of continuous operations by the same family. On its final day of operations, a steady stream of the shop's longtime customers, some who've been coming to Ching Lee (which translates to "victory" in Cantonese) for generations themselves, came to bid farewell." "In 1876, when Jacque Yee’s great granduncle opened the doors of Ching Lee Laundry, he traveled by horse-drawn carriage to pick up laundry 20 miles away in San Francisco. By that time, the Gold Rush had brought tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants to California, but the Yee family was among the very first to make their way south of San Francisco, to suburban San Mateo, which was then home to just 932 people." "Today, one in five people in San Mateo are Asian American, and many of them work in technology. "There’s a big disconnect between new Chinese immigrants, many of whom are highly educated and wealthy, who don’t relate to the early history of Chinese Americans," Jung said. "What they may not know is that stereotypes from the last 100 years will still influence how they are perceived today." [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/oldest-chinese-laundry-u-s-closes-shop-after-140-years-n675186 10/28/2019] "In the 1920s, the family made deliveries via a horse and buggy and kept a small barn next door. But one day, a kerosene lamp was knocked over and the business went up in flames. At the time, her grandfather was well connected with the local Baptist church and proceeds raised by the congregation allowed them to rebuild, Yee said. From that point on they became known as Ching Lee — meaning 'victory' in Chinese, she said. They also decided to relocate to their current spot at 420 First Ave. where at the time it sat in the heart of San Mateo’s 'Chinatown,' Yee said." [https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/nation-s-oldest-chinese-owned-laundry-closes-daughter-reflects-on/article_4c0b2df5-125b-510b-b062-a571ad03f06c.html 11/14/2019] |
Search Terms |
Chinese in California Laundry San Mateo San Mateo County Tools |
Subjects |
Laundry Maintenance & repair |
Credit line |
Courtesy of Jacque Yee |